


Till The Earth Starts To Crumble

by 1996letters



Category: Carnival Row (TV)
Genre: Don't copy to another site, F/F, F/M, Getting Together, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Multi, My First Fanfic, My First Work in This Fandom, Not Beta Read, Period-Typical Homophobia, Period-Typical Racism, Polyamory, overuse of ellipses, Не копировать на другой сайт
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 14:55:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20762222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1996letters/pseuds/1996letters
Summary: Darius is brought to Carnival Row by Berwick. When he finds Vignette and Philo feelings come to light and discussions are had.





	Till The Earth Starts To Crumble

**Author's Note:**

> Some internalised homphobia, use of some slurs.
> 
> Cara Delevigne said that the Fae are all pansexual. I've decided that most of them are also poly, just because. And since Philo is half-fae, I've decided that that also applies to him. 
> 
> So this is my take on what happens after Carnival Row hass been locked down.
> 
> Title from Fall Out Boy - Bishop's Knife Trick
> 
> (English isn't my first language, so bear with me)

Prologue

There are steps echoing down the hall. They stop, presumably when they reach the guard. “I have orders to take Darius Prowell to Carnival Row.” An unknown voice says.

“He can’t go. He’s a marrok.” Darius recognizes the voice of the guard.

“I know.” The unknown voice says, “but I don’t care. Orders are to take him to the Row. There, see, got it in writing. If he kills people on the Row, that’s a Critch problem, innit?”

There’s a pause. Darius can hear the guard thinking.

“Aye. Just leave that paper with me, will you. Don’t want to be the one to take the blame.” He says after a few seconds.

The steps are coming closer now. An officer, one Darius doesn’t know, approaches his cell, followed by the guard. He tenses. This situation will either play out in his favour or cost him his life. The cell door is opened, and he is yanked to his feet by the guard.

“Goodbye, you Critch fucker.” Is spit in his face. The officer takes him by his arm and leads him outside. After all these years the light is blinding, and he cringes away. The officer tightens the grip on his arm but has a sympathetic look on his face.

“I’m Berwick, I am- was Philostrate’s colleague. I haven’t seen him since he was fired for being…, well I don’t know if you know, but he’s half-fae, his mother-“

“I know. I can smell it. Just like I can smell the fear on you.”

“Oh. Well… uhm, I haven’t seen him since then, but… he was worried, left me a note. I don’t know if he faked the signature or not, but it was to get you out, and well, it’s all I can do, really. I don’t know where he is, if he got out of here, but I know he had friends on the Row, so I’ll bring you there. Then you’re on your own.”

~~~~~

Darius looks down Carnival Row and back out to the city. It is completely cut off, guards and barbed wire everywhere. He’s heard stories already, of the few runners and fliers who were shot down before they could get anywhere. As much as he will miss him – and as hard as his life on the Row will be if he’s gone – he hopes that Philo got out before they locked down the city. And that he could take Vignette with him, those two needed each other.

He sniffs the air, but there are too many smells, of Fae, Puck and others mixed in the air, he won’t be able to smell a half-Fae who may or may not be here. He’ll have to ask around. He approaches a Fae woman and asks if she’s seen the former officer anywhere. Both dread and selfish happiness settle in his gut when she tells him yes, he and a Fae are living in Aisling’s old flat, giving him the directions. Darius thanks her and starts his way down the crowded street. He just hopes he’ll be welcome.

When he finds the flat he’s been sent to he hesitates, wondering if he should burden his oldest friend with his presence, but decides to knock on the wooden door.

Inside he can hear some shuffling and then Vignette opens the door. She looks at him, confusion written on her face for a few seconds, before she recognizes him and starts smiling.

“Darius! By Titania, we thought you were dead! Come in!”

He enters, the door closing behind him.

“It’s nice to see you too, Vignette. Where’s Philo? The lady on the street said he’d be here too?” Darius asks, suddenly unsure again.

“He’s at the Tetterby Hotel- now don’t give me that look, not for that reason. One of the – a friend, Fleury, tried to fly, right when they were closing the Row down, they shot her. He knows some first aid from the army, he checks on her every day.”

“That sounds like Philo, going to a brothel to help people.” He chuckles.

“Yes, it does, doesn’t it?” Vignette joins in on his laughter. “But he should be home soon.”

True to Vignette’s words, it’s only a few minutes before the door opens again. Darius turns and looks at Philo, who stares back open-mouthed, frozen on the spot. The door falls shut behind him.

“Hey Ry”, Darius says softly.

Philo’s mouth closes, and before Darius can process what’s going on, he is in his arms, Philo’s mouth pressed to his own. He gasps in shock and Philo pulls back as if he had punched him in the face.

“Fuck!” he yells, before whispering “I am so sorry.”

Philo turns, as if to leave, but Vignette grabs his arm. She whispers something in his ear, before putting on her coat. Darius stands, silent and unmoving, unsure what to do. Vignette leans closer, whispering something else to Philo, before kissing his cheek. Then she turns to Darius.

“I’ll go check up on Fleury. Please hear him out. And please, please don’t hate him, okay?” she says, before quietly leaving the small flat.

Philo walks past Darius with an unreadable expression on his face and slumps down on the small sofa.

~~~~~

“I’ve fucked everything up now, haven’t I?” Philo asks, sitting with his back to Darius.

For a second Darius stays standing, uncertain what to do, then decides to sit next to the former inspector, their shoulders almost brushing, hoping to reassure Philo, but he only flinches.

“No. I… I am confused, I have to admit that, but Philo, at this point I don’t think there’s anything you could do to get rid of me.” He pauses. “But…”

“Of course there’s a but…” Philo chuckles, defeated.

“Hear me out. I don’t care if you… who you like. I just don’t understand. I thought you and Vignette, I thought you were happy now.”

“We are. Well, as happy as you can be here… but we are together again, at least.”

“Then why did you kiss me?”

“Because I thought you were dead. Because I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. Because…” he sighs, continuing more quietly, “because I love you.”

“But-“

“I know that I must sound mad to you. I love Vignette, I do, but I also love you. Have, for as long as I can remember.” Philo chuckles grimly, “I was just… scared. Bad enough that I was half-fae, I also had to go and be a half-fairy. Can’t do anything properly, can I?” He pauses. “But Vignette explained… It’s a fae thing. Apparently the fae are- we are attracted to people. Doesn’t matter what they are, men, women, whatever. And we also fall in love with multiple people more often than not. Though that is not unheard of with humans either, is it?”

“I guess not... But does she really not care that you… if we… well” He doesn’t dare continue. Even if Philo loves him, only the Martyr knows what he wants from him.

“She better not. She’ll probably want to give us some space tonight and stay at the Tetterby. And knowing her and Tourmaline, they’ll take that chance and fuck.”

“Oh.” Darius pauses, thinking. Philo was right, it was not unheard of. Many married people had lovers after all, although Darius had always assumed that it was more of a case of not loving each other anymore and seeking company elsewhere, rather than loving multiple people. And he has to admit, he isn’t that surprised that Tourmaline and Vignette are fucking. Philo seems to take his silence as a sign of disapproval, however.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you. I can probably organise somewhere else for you to stay if you’d rather not be here.” He sounds defeated, and it breaks Darius’ heart.

“Philo, seriously. What did I just say? You’re not getting rid of me. It might be weird, but at this point… our lives are a fucked-up mess anyway. What is being a bit more unconventional gonna do, huh?”

He takes a deep breath and relaxes, leaning into his oldest friend. “I love you too, Philo.”

Philo sits up quickly. “Don’t mess with me D, please, I…” His voice breaks.

“You know I wouldn’t, Ry. And I mean it. At this point, being with you, it’s not as if we have anything to lose, we’re at the bottom anyway. So why not give in?”

Darius hesitates for a split second, before he turning and taking Philo’s face between his hands. He brings their mouth’s closer, looking into Philo’s eyes for confirmation, before closing his own and pressing their lips together. They both tense momentarily, and then relax into each other. Their lips move together, tentative, exploring. It’s a soft, shy kiss, unlike when Philo kissed him earlier. Philo’s hands come to rest on his chest, and he sighs, before deepening the kiss and pulling Philo closer. The half-fae moans quietly, before pulling back and resting their foreheads together. “I love you”, he whispers.

Darius strokes a thumb over Philo’s cheek. “I love you too.” He kisses him again, deeper, more hungry this time. One hand stays on Philo’s cheek, while the other comes to rest on his hip, pulling him closer. Philo obliges, quickly moving into Darius’ lap. They both shiver at the closeness, craving more. They kiss deeply, tongues twining together pressing close to each other. Philo moves forward and they both moan at the sudden friction. Darius breaks the kiss, pulling back and looking Philo in the eyes.

They are both flushed, panting slightly.

“What do you… How far is okay for you?” Darius asks, scared of breaking everything before it has even begun.

“I… I don’t… I just – I want you, I need you closer, Darius…” Philo trails off, looking away. Darius touches his cheek and softly kisses the corner of his mouth, while starting to unbutton his shirt.

“Me too, Philo. You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to touch you –“

“I think I do; I’ve wanted you for so long, I…” Philo breaks of, moaning as Darius lightly caresses his nipple. He shrugs of his shirt and Darius can’t help but admire how beautiful his lover is.

“You too, D, don’t hold back!” Philo laughs, making quick work of Darius’ buttons. He shivers as Philo runs his hands down his chest, seemingly lost in thought. The fingers running over his nipples make Darius grow even harder, and he bucks against the matching hardness he can feel pressed against him. They both moan. Philo leans down to kiss him again hungrily, rolling his hips against Darius’.

Darius pulls away, pushing Philo up off his lap. They take their trousers off quickly, before resuming their previous positions. Their cocks touch and they shiver, rocking together. Philo’s kisses threaten to consume Darius as he takes them both in his hand. Philo moans brokenly, dropping his head to Darius shoulder. He starts stroking them both, no mind for finesse. His right hand reaches for Philo’s ass, pulling him closer and his lover mewls.

“Fuck, Philo, you’re so hot.” He moans, already hoarse.

“Not as hot as you, Darius, fuck, I’m close, please…” Philo breaks off into a moan.

Darius redoubles his efforts, stroking them, bucking up into his own hand. The slide of their cocks together feels heavenly. Philo’s hungry mouth finds his again and he moans, coming closer and closer to climax.

It doesn’t take either of them long. They moan into each other’s moth and cling together, spurting between their bellies, breathing together as they come down.

They hold each other for a few minutes before Philo gets up to get a rag. They clean themselves off quietly.

“Come to bed with me?” Philo asks, and Darius’ heart sings.

“Yes, of course.”

They lie together quietly, basking in each other’s presence until they fall asleep.

~~~~~

When Vignette comes home the next morning from a rather enjoyable night at the Tetterby hotel, she smiles at the sight that presents itself to her. Clothes are strewn in front of the small sofa, and Philo and Darius are lying in the bed. They look calm, Darius holding Philo. It will be a tight fit, all three of them, but Vignette decides to climb in with them anyway. She takes of her streetwear and slips under the covers. Neither man wakes, but she hears Philo sigh contently, before he reaches out to her. She doesn’t know what the future holds for them, can only hope that everything will calm down, but for now she is content, knowing where the people she loves are.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this come find me on twitter:  
https://twitter.com/1996letters


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